10 Things I’m Realizing With Only 1 Month of College Left

The long awaited day of graduation is nearing and the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter. All those 20 page essays, all-nighters, group projects and 3 hour exams are finally almost over. This is what we’ve all been counting down to for close to 4 years, right?! Then why are my daily thoughts consumed with memories and realizations that I’m really going to miss college? Because as much as we dreaded the awful parts, college really has been the best part of our lives so far. With less than 1 month of actual classes left, I feel obligated to compose a list of the major college takeaways I’ll be basking in for the next few weeks.

1. COLLEGE ROOMMATES/BFFS ARE THE SHIT
For four years, we’ve had people with us through all of our moments. Our bffs have been there when we needed advice on an outfit or relationship, didn’t want to go to the caf by ourselves, or just wanted to lay around hungover all day with while watching Netflix. Leaving college may mean moving in with new roommates, getting an apartment of your own or slumming it with your parents, but either way, the relationships you develop with these people will forever remain one of the best parts of college and make you soon realize that when it comes to friends: quality > quantity.

2. THE HARDEST THING YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE ALL YEAR IS A COVER LETTER
Unfortunately, debt is real and the only way to overcome debt is with a job. However, for most of us, cover letters are going to be the key to obtaining that job. So, instead of sitting at your laptop for 3 hours stalking every social network prior to typing that essay, perfect your cover letter and send it! Besides, we all know that “due tomorrow” means “do tomorrow.” Now if only we could list procrastination as one of our top skills on our resume…

3. ALL HAIL THE COLLEGE SCHEDULE
Never, ever, ever again (unless you’re unemployed) will your schedule have this much flexibility. Unfortunately for most of us, 2 weeks vacation will be the highlight of our benefits package at our first jobs. So, for the remaining month, l i v e i t u p! Go out often. Stay out late. Cut back on the extracurriculars. Sleep in. Watch seasons 1-5 of Parks & Rec. in one night. For example, I’m currently writing this blog at 1am when I have an exam at 9am that I haven’t started studying for. Somehow, I think I’ll manage. Life will never be this easy again, so stop coming up with excuses + embrace it!

4. YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY WEAR LEGGINGS EVERYDAY
Once you get that job, you gotta get that suit + tie too. So who cares if you show up to class in leggings/sweatpants everyday (hey, at least you’re showing up!) – because they will soon be reserved for evenings and weekends only. Give them as much wear as possible now. No judging here.

5. OUR PARENTS ARE THE REAL MVP’S
If you’re anything like me, you’ll agree that nothing we have accomplished this far in our lives would have been possible without the love and support we receive from our families. They trusted us at the tender age of 18 to move away and embark on the huge life change that is college all while showering us with millions of phone calls, care packages, surprise visits and lets me honest – money. A huge shoutout to all the moms/dads/aunts/uncles/grandmas/grandpas out there that made college happen! ❤

6. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH COFFEE
Even if you are just casually checking Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, Vine, YikYak, Pinterest + etc. instead of doing whatever homework is left at this point – you need your caffeine. Freshmen, take note: coffee is not an option; it is a necessity.

7. SPEAKING OF FRESHMEN, WE LOVE TO HATE THEM
When they first step on campus in the fall and act like they’ve never read a sign or seen a salad bar before, we tend to hate them. But in all reality, we actually just really envy them. Because even though we know its not possible to stay in undergrad any longer, we wish we were them all over again. They still have 3 full years of college and just the thought of all the memories they’re going to be making makes me want to crawl in bed and never leave. Whoever said “live it up because it will be over before you know it” was spot on, damn them.

8. THANK YOU COLLEGE, FOR TEACHING ME HOW TO DRINK
No matter what anyone says, you will drink in college. Maybe you’ll wait until you’re legally 21; maybe you won’t. But either way, somewhere in those 4 years of college, you learn how to be a functioning member of society who knows how to drink. You figure out what you like (beer + wine), what you don’t mind (whiskey), and what you should avoid at all costs (tequila).

9. GUILT DOES NOT EXIST HERE
I mentioned this briefly in my post about birthday weeks, but it is even more true in reference to the last weeks of college. There is no time to get down on yourself for eating 6 crunchwrap sliders from Taco Bell after a night out, or texting your ex, or even making winky faces at the cute guy/girl at Chives. In the scheme of life, does it really matter? No. You may never see 75% of people again. So go ahead and live your life, but if you are going to overindulge at Tbell, be sure to use their app when ordering because you’ll get a Dorito Locos Taco fo’ free!

10. CLICHÉS ARE REAL
“live in the moment” + “be yourself” + “don’t sweat the small stuff” + “too blessed to be stressed” all apply to college. So do what Pinterest/your grandma say and “live each day to the fullest” because it’ll be over before you know it!